Snowflake Challenge #8

[faitsu]

Challenge #8

Talk about your creative process.
1. Rough Idea
This is the rough idea. I let it marinate a little so that I can figure out if I like it or not. For art and zine, this is the thumbnail plus the mock up.

2. Tutorials if I am programming or learning a new technique
I make a lot of things just to learn new skills or try out a new game engine, so I do make games that are taught in the tutorial and then change things so that it's not 100% the same thing.

3. Frame
If I am making a game or comic, I will make all the UI and placeholders or draw guides on my papers where the safe zones are if I am drawing a comic or zine. I usually draw in my base and even start inking the main scenes and details from here.

4. Design, art research and details
Sometimes I need references to draw cars or backgrounds so I collect references and fill in what things in the background or focal points after looking at details. This is where I start inking.

5. Refine, refine, refine
All the art, sometimes redrawing or drawing over pages that could be considered complete like in a recent incident.

6. Panic (optional)
Doesn't always happen, but I have trauma ghosts and sometimes I am haunted by past situations like people destroying my artwork or work in general RIGHT before the end so I have to restart from scratch. That type of situation creates trauma ghosts and I'm dealing with it better by treating like a haunting ghost and not something real and it's been easier to manage. I had to learn that sometimes people are just bad and everyone just assumes you will make sacrifices for them, so I've accepted that people can call me mean all they want because I'm not literally tearing things OR people apart due to my own shortcomings.

7. Set a date to post or print by
It's usually something like "Saturday, January 29th - post your thing RIGHT at 7 PM." And then I do it and run away.

9. Post thing or print a hard copy
THE GOAL.

Hey, it's hard to make things, if you made a thing: THAT IS INCREDIBLE. Every game or piece of art is a miracle. I recently taught myself to be more proud or myself and only accept construction criticism when I have the headspace for it. Which will lead to my bonus step.

9. Reject Criticism from bad actors
A lot of people (including some of my peers) have been so critical of me and all of it is uninvited. Some people are really mean and even if you made something everyone with eyes can see and agrees is good. There are people who just want to tear others down and "put them in the place" and that "place" is always beneath them because of course it is. There are a lot of things that artists have to worry about, AI, art theft, no one seeing your work, so don't let someone (who doesn't make art) be a critic of your art.

Comments

[scribblemoose]

"9. Reject Criticism from bad actors"

This is SO important. These people can really get in your head if you're not careful and it never ends well. Not to say that invitied constructive criticism but the other sort is lethal. A bit of encouragement goes a long way!

[faitsu]

Yeah, but I usually have other artists (with good skills and that I trust) critique before the final is completed so there is space to change. I have experienced enough bad actors that I realized they just want everyone else to feel bad.

[greetingsfrommaars]

And then I do it and run away. extremely relatable. i do the same, and if it's on a platform that allows it, i also schedule the post so i can already be away when it goes up!

[faitsu]

The internet is good for some things, like scheduling posts!

[sugareey]

Oooo such a mood. Overall, I definitely feel all of this a lot. Yeah, rejection criticism in general is just...ugh. I'm grateful that it hasn't been too horrible for me in fandom spaces, but every other art space...eh. It's not great, and it's such a messy landscape right now.

But I'm reminded of this quote along the lines of: "If you don't trust someone for their advice, then don't trust them for their criticism." So, trying to taking that to heart, even though that's easier said than done.

[faitsu]

I really do mean bad actors. There are people who use criticism to mask harassment, which is why I wouldn't say it was rejection criticism that is a different dynamic.

For example, I was criticized for not making a cellphone friendly version of my person website when the person criticizing me had other close friends that didn't have mobile phone friendly websites so they were just being hypocritical, passive aggressive and nitpicky. I thought that person was rude for just singling me out, I did not update my personal website in a year. XD

That is a good quote so I will try to remember it. I mean, there is physical fitness and mental fitness and I really have to learn to not accept unwelcome critiques from people anymore.